Indigo Interview: A love of teaching visual arts

LEAH Stephens was born in Healesville located in the wine and food region of the picturesque Yarra Valley and moved to Stanley in July last year. What do you do workwise? I began teaching three days after moving to Stanley in a Mobile Art Craft Centre (MACC) teacher role. I’m based at Whorouly Primary School and teach the visual arts curriculum to nine schools spanning Carraragarmungee to Harrietville and Oxley to Tawonga. Secondary school trained in visual arts and design, I found I really loved teaching primary aged children to develop and master visual arts practices whilst exploring and expressing their ideas. What brought you to your role/career? Having studied a fine art degree post VCE art, I wanted to be both a nurturing and creative role model and teacher for students as my teachers were for me. I hold student social, emotional and creative growth in high regard and recognise the power of creative expression and problem-solving capabilities in building confidence and resilience in young people. And to be honest, truck driving whilst living in Perth was no longer doing it for me. It was a great way to explore the region, yet I wasn’t benefiting others from my former training, nor was I ‘being there’ for, or inspiring young hearts and minds. I love the work I do – it is an extremely rewarding profession. What do you do in the community? I was a volunteer wildlife rescuer in the Yarra Valley for many years and would love to pursue similar volunteer work locally. I volunteer to give back to our local community and environment. Animal advocacy is also a passion of mine as I believe we need a vast improvement in the well-being and protection of all non-human animals, in both animal agriculture and due to human impact within the natural environment. Is there an important community issue that you think needs addressing? The environmental, animal welfare, and global food security impacts of outdated animal agricultural practices, from small-scale to large-scale industrial operations. What would you do to solve change, improve that situation? I would drive public awareness campaigns, creating transparency around practices that cause unnecessary suffering and environmental impact, enabling consumers to seek kinder alternatives, and empowering individuals to make choices that create a kinder world. I would love to build momentum in assisting those that profit from animals to move towards kinder practices and alternative initiatives. What do you see as one of the important current world issues? The connection between climate change and animal agriculture. If the person you would most like to meet came to Indigo Shire (past or present), or was already here, who would that be, what would you show them, and why? Animal advocate and investigator Lynn White, who conducted ground-breaking investigations in the Middle East, South East Asia and Australia. I believe Lynn’s public awareness campaigns paved a way for a more compassionate leadership. I would show Lynn the stunning Beechworth Gorge and Victoria’s High Country. What book are you reading? ‘The Resilience Project – Finding Happiness Through Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness’ by Hugh Van Cuylenburg. A huge benefit to the students I teach.

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